English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Hambrook

Early-attested site in the Parish of Winterbourne

Historical Forms

  • Hanbroc 1086 DB
  • Hambrok(e) 1227 FF 1230–50 Mrk 1248 Ass 1322 Ext 1327 SR 1552 Asht
  • Hambrook(e) 1598 FF 1726 GR892
  • Hammebroke 1398 Asht

Etymology

Hambrook, Hanbroc 1086 DB, Hambrok (e )1227FF , 1230–50 Mrk, 1248Ass , 1322Ext (p), 1327SR et passim to 1552Asht 3, Hambrook (e )1598FF , 1726GR 892, Hammebroke 1398Asht 3. Possibly 'brook by the stone', v. hān , brōc , with assimilation to Ham - before the labial -b -, as in the spellings of Henbury (130infra ). The 6 in. O.S. marked a stone near the grounds of Hambrook Ho. But the first el. could be OE  hana 'cock'.